Sizing apparatus



tal j Zlvvuwntor A. W. PHELPS SIZING APPARATUS Filed May 28 1929 Sept. 20, 1932.

Patented Sept. 20, 1932 ALIBERTW. rnn ms, on os nennns,,eALinonNIA V .iS Z GlAP AB T I Application-filed M y- 28, 1929." Seria1- 1 I:o=. -866,603.

This. invention relates to. sizing apparatusv for effecting the distribution of fruit, melons i-or. the like in different bins. While theinf. .ventionmay be appliedyto sizingnpparatus the use of a flexible memberorsheet disposed z' 'lhe friu it rests onthe; upper ifaeeof this belt, and as it. advances it passes a plurality of movable ej ectors. or sizing means which'mo-ve ina path suibstantiallyat right. angles. to the plane in whichthe fruitgor melons advance. I; These. ejector devices; aregconstructed or adusted so as :to-roll-the fruit ,ofdifferent sizes from the. conveyor-laterally into. bins correspondinggto' the different sizes. q i the embodiment .of. 1the, invention disin aninclined position over a conveyor alongu:,:, iS d= the foll ing: pe ifi t mnj pwhich:the fruit-ormelons move. @By reason of the inclination of the si zer, the fruit lecting bin. The general ObjBCtZOfthiSfilIl vention'is to' provide sizing apparatus operatinghon-the same general principle, butiin which the deflecting force that throws the melon 06 of. the conveyor is more positive 'in v v its action'and operatesso that it does :not; l ip qy -l I1]unct on wlth the apparatus depend upon the speed of the conveyor.

1 A further object of the invention is to pro a wide-sizing apparatus of this kind which willa-alo g-lt dl al ra s' w-r nW ysin whi the operate to size fruit such as melons, without necessitating raisingthe center of gravity of' the fruit asit passes off the conveyor. rz'i 1 w Further obj ect of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel'parts. and combination of parts to be described hereinaften allof which contribute to flan efficient sizing-apparatus.

A preferred embodiment ofthe invention is clescribed: in the following specification,

while the broad scope of the invention-is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the table and conveyor of a sizing apparatus embodying my invention certain parts;;being broken away.

Figure 2 is a cross-section through the sizer,

taken about on the line 2-.-2 of Figure 1.

Figure '3 is a side elevation showing one of the elements of the sizing apparatus and particularly illustrating a means for enabling thesame to be adjusted at will.

In practicing the invention I provide conveyor belt for advancing the melons in.

single file, commonly known as Indian: file.

produce paratus includes a substantially horizontal 5 or; -slig-htly.iinclined table- 1, along which a conv eyonsuchaslan endless belt 2 moves, said .beltpperating to carry fruit such as melons 3ec1el1vered1tothesame with the longitudinal rection of travel of. the table. This. featun ,pf; ,theinvention particularly adapts it to b disclosed in my prior patent; referred to I above, which. employs a feedtable divided by melons be placed by operators. a These runwaysjare narrow and willhold the melons with their. longitudinal axes substantiallyin axes ofthe fruitextending in the general di alignment-with the direction of, advance of 1 the fruit.

plurality ;of collecting means ,suchas bins 4.

. which. includes a flexible member that; moves acrossrabove-the path of the fruit inlsuch a way as-to; engagethe upper side ofthe fruit .androll it oif of .thebconveyor into ,aabin.

These devices are mountedso that their lower edgesareratdifferentheights abovethe con- -veyor, that is to say, above the table 1. Any

suitable construction may. beemployed for proj ecting the. ej ecting element in a lateral di- 1 rection. with respect to the direction movementof the fruit. I have illustrated a simple ;Alongside- .of.the convey or I provide a' Op-positeeach bin5t-I.provide a sizing device constructionfor thispurpose involving the use of; a longitudinal shaftfi mounted to rotate --in suitable bearings'fisupportedon posts 7, ,directlyxo'ver the-GOIIVQyOF- This shaft supports 'aipaddlebr-ejecton corresponding to .each bin.

Eachindividual sizercortejector is mounted on -theshaftby; means/of ablockof wood i A Q2O iriclined tofiaid tlie planef offthe conveyor consisting of two sections 8 and 9 that are The end of the conveyor belt 2 passes clamped together by clamping bolts 10. around rollers 26, one of which may be car- 7 There is a air of these blocks corresponding ried on a driven shaft 27. The shaft 27 may to each in ividual sizer and on each block I be driven by a belt pulley and belt (not illus- 5 attach arms 11 that support an ejector padtrated). I

dle 12, said paddle preferably consistingof The shaft'ii may be rotated at a speed cora longitudinal-bar lafzhavingja-flexible sheetresponding to the ispeed of;the' -conveyor 2. or wiper 14 secured to it"and projectin'g downii This shaft b mayib e'f rotatedfatesuch a speed Wardly. ,These Wipers 14 are formeduoflightlby means of a belt pulley 28 and belt 29 (see Sheet nl ather, o .s m leefl lesheet ,E urel):

material, that "swap-able bfeXerting'sufli It is understood that the embodiment of the cient force upon the melon'toj-ro ll, it intothe nvention described herein is only one of the bin and which will operate viithoiitinjiiring embodiments this invention may take, in any Way the skimQiithe-iruit; This; is;im- ;;;;andl,dognot yish to be limited in the practice I 5 p ortant because the tendency to decay is of theinvention, nor in the claims, to the @gre'anyenhanced by ries to the skim f p'articular-embodimentsetzforthi "Agflhij tratdfin F gL1-1-e;1,.tlie sizer; whichw kiln sizing apparatussfor melons or the ls'disp'o'sed at'the eitiferne'fleft end,intend lllifl, tl 1e .fG01 1 0f YOI' ed to eject the fru it o'l" larger sizefjand iit; i va'licing ;the-me lons.-a1ong a path in single file, *wvill'jipasssmaller1mm; Which isejected=by sa;plura'lit-y of-wrotz r' v sizersklocatedgover the the other si'z'ers" which are located to vard=the lconveyor; each sizergcomprising-iaapair of delivery end 'ofthe appar tus; i These sizers: armsirotatingon an axis above the conveyor, toward itlfefrightf'are adjusted intoja gradu a1 bar coimecting'gthe. arms with 1 means for eed-arran em t b that th mallest fnut; tfdjnstingi the bar saidz barhaving a flexible i ejectedgb e1 sizer located'gat thea; memberv attachedthlaretOfor engaging the a; upper-sideofthe;melons-to roll the/same ofi? 7 nepaddl'ecorrespondingzto" offthe-conveyor. ;=..f;: "eachdoin thou more' cou'ld 'b'e employed,iii: 2. l-nzsizmg-apparatusiorimlons-or the desire? Q Inforder to balance theishaft in its like, thegcombination of a conveyor." for adrotation ljprefer ;to place?the*pad'dles"909v vancrng the, melons,-fa:pl1ura-lity;of rotary siz- I *aparny InFigumrthedotted 1i-nes15 ind r id'lspio edlflv i i a Y P flIldTOtating -cate 'the positions of theflejcting pad'dlesitd' a "War'd the rigli "astliey s'Weep-atthe "bottom:xdlrectlon iof advance, oii:-the iiconve'yor, said the fruit.

p I i r v daxislof-rotation with fiexible members in the r f: 1 In order to enable-the size'rs tojbe readily i' n .f h y e n' e with their adjusted; 'I- prefer to construct the arms 114 zo'uter, edges pro ectingt 1n radial-planes out as-illustrated in Figure 3 sdthatthey include :5 wardlytbeyondsthe ends,= o-'f, theiarms 'for enxtenslioni m zp y gth fle ibl i disposed at ditf'eren-tldistancesz fromv the con- I with a slot g ith hiek qi p t members perating to roll rthewmelons and ;1:; g h'gybl-ihgth i-extension arn1 to b tlierebyiegect the; same from the lconvleyor, and

- s 45 a ii aiflWm rQ' 6 ages; extended-position; 'Fme'ans atthes1de of the:conVeyb1.-f0r,=catching This con tfiib ib i l o m i e ed-whet= the melons' substantially as; idescribedi i:iwijb 12ftd b 'fipport d ifi gjf ihdified posi- Signed atLoaAngeles al-iforn'iathis 21st "other words; in a positionzwith its lower edge B T E wep e or;

belt 1 Inthe ioperatibn pfthe sizer' ipaddles ff "thefa ct thattheedge offtheybe'lt isunobstructed' 'enables them to roll'thef'fr'uit over "the'edgeof the beltfwithoutfraisingit? Inerd'e'rtepreveneinj ryte the; ruit,suh V ff a'sm elon's, asfth'ey r5511 into"the-'bins Iprovide i flexible apron" 21 (seefFi'gure 'Which is attached at it siinner edge 22 to the inner edge of theibin and whichsags down so 'as-to form a false bottoin for 'the' bi i The out'er edge iof the apron hange'downage-curtain 23 overa ronnd'ed polished 's'ill 24;-"thefhanging end Y a 77 V ofthe curtain carrying a, baJr 25-5to" act'f as;

L ;a kind" oficountr ivei gl itand vvhich can= rise asthe fruit acciimiilates inthe bini *iiil qf f th-i 't k atjf gs theispaggQbbvejiheemSiZGIS hayingarms,disposed;radiallyfrom the 3 

